Police investigate Big Brother fight

Police are to investigate last night's near riot at the Big Brother house in which one contestant threatened to kill another housemate.

Officers from Hertfordshire police launched an inquiry following calls from alarmed members of the public and are studying a video of the live streaming in the early hours of the morning from the programme-makers, Endemol.

And just before 5pm today Channel 4 issued a statement admitted the confrontation between the housemates had reached an "unacceptable level" but said so far the police had not so far indicated any "issues arising from last night's broadcast".

Twelve viewers have so far complained to the regulator, Ofcom. A spokesman for Hertfordshire police said: "Following a number of calls from members of the public regarding an alleged incident in the Big Brother house last night, Hertfordshire police can confirm we are following up complaints made by members of the public.

"Officers met with members of the production team and have obtained a video. We will be looking at the tape and reviewing matters accordingly. Officers are currently in liaison with members of the Big Brother production team to see whether further action needs to be taken," he added.

The programme was thrown into chaos in the early hours of this morning when trays were thrown, plates smashed and a table overturned. The handle from the Big Brother diary room was also ripped off.

"I'll fucking kill you," Emma yelled at Victor before she was dragged away by another housemate, Dan. "Don't you know who I am?" shouted Victor. "Never fuck with me, Emma... You ain't fucking shit to me, I'll fucking show you!"

Security and medics sent in

As the situation spiralled out of control, panicked Big Brother bosses sent in security guards to separate the housemates for their own safety. Channel 4 cut the live feed to the house between 2am and 3am and two police officers arrived at 3am to investigate the fracas.

Just before the sound was lost at 2am, Victor was also heard telling Emma: "I'll spit in your face", followed by a spitting sound.

Another housemate, Jason, yelled at Portuguese transexual Nadia and angrily turned over the table in the house's living area. As the house descended into anarchy, Jason told Emma: "I'll fucking take your head off", and threatened to "rip the head off" another contestant, Marco, after he performed a camp dance in front of him.

Security men had to enter the house to separate the feuding housemates in the most serious intervention by producers in the show's five-year history.

According to one report they were accompanied by paramedics and Endemol staff,who told the contestants they could have be thrown out if they didn't calm down.

A Big Brother spokeswoman said: "Police arrived on site and spoke to the production team. They have requested a tape of the programme.

"Obviously we will co-operate with the police and help with any inquiries."

The house was trashed in the row, which began when two "evicted" housemates, Emma and Michelle, made a surprise return from the "bedsit" to which they had been banished.

When Emma failed to calm down she was removed from the house by programme bosses and forced to stay in the bedsit next to the Big Brother house. It is not clear if or when she will return to the main house.

By this morning, with the house still in chaos, the remaining housemates were clearly shaken by last night's events. Nadia said she had been "scared" while Marco said he felt "threatened and intimidated", saying he would not speak to Jason again as long as he remained in the house.

<bChannel 4 accused of manipulating

There was already a sign of a backlash among fans of the show today, with some of them calling for the show to be pulled.

"I don't get Channel 4. I mean, isn't this what they wanted? Now they blank the feed," said one fan on a website devoted to the show.

"I hope Big Brother is satisfied now. Another sad first for reality TV - violent behaviour and threats cannot be tolerated on TV, especially towards women," said another visitor to the Digital Spy fan site.

"A very sad night and I hope that those contestants with an ounce of intelligence leave the BB house immediately and that some good counselling is at hand. This has gone too far and the show must be pulled," said another.

"If Channel 4 was concerned about housemates' welfare, it wouldn't have engineered this melee of unparalleled cynicism," added another fan on the Digital Spy website.

The Liberal Democrat's media spokesman, Don Foster, said the row was "further proof that Big Brother is just another talent show for the talentless".

"The welfare and safety of the housemates is always our overriding concern, and with that in mind, the production team decided to intervene last night at a point where they felt the confrontation between the housemates had reached an unacceptable level," said the broadcaster in a joint statement with producer Endemol.

"The Big Brother production team have been talking to all housemates individually over the course of today with a view to sorting out tensions in the house and are closely monitoring them. They will be encouraging the housemates to work through their issues as a group. If they do not feel this is feasible they will consider an alternative course of action... As always psychologists are monitoring the situation and are on hand if any of the housemates wish to speak to them.

"The local police have made enquiries about events in the house last night following a handful of calls from members of the public. At present they have given us no indication of any issues arising from last night's broadcast."

Tension had been building all week after Michelle and Emma were thrown into the bedsit where they were able to watch a live feed of what was going on in the house.

They were horrified to hear Victor, Jason and Vanessa bitching about them and Channel 4 was expecting fireworks when it returned them to the house last night to be reunited with the teammates who thought they had been evicted for good.

Emma and Michelle were also asked by Big Brother to play dirty tricks on the remaining housemates. They chose Jason to have water and broken eggs poured over his bed and put itching powder in Vanessa's football shirt. South African contestant Vanessa has threatened to leave. "I don't want be part of this. It's like a freak show," she said.